Commoner
by 67OtakuGirl24X3
Summary: Cassandra Martin has recently moved to Japan from America. Her cousin has a job at Ouran Private Academy, and requests she stop by daily to help clean up her classroom. Cassie hates rich people, but when she meets the Host Club, that changes...  Reviews are much appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

Hi. My name is Cassandra Martin. I'm 16 years old and live in a small town house with my dad. We moved to Japan 2 years ago. Since then I've only made one friend. Her name is Anju. We're really close, but I think that's only 'cause we're all each other have. If that wasn't the case, the fact that we're polar opposites would surely drive us apart.

My hair is my favorite quality about myself. It's brown, wavy, and goes down to my waist. I don't cut it for my own reasons. I have hazel eyes. I'm not the skinniest kid, but I'm not exactly fat either. I guess you could say I'm medium.

Anyway, maybe I should start getting to the story. The story of how my life changed completely, I went from poor to rich, and got married for my 17th birthday.

"I am going to KILL Sara when I find her," I muttered as I pedaled my bike down the road, my hair blowing behind me. My cousin had scored a teaching job at Ouran Private Academy: home of the rich and spoiled. How could Sara be working with practical celebrities while my dad was a busboy and I was taking orders at a fast food drive thru? It wasn't fair.

I glanced at the address I had written down. It matched with that displayed on the giant ivory gate I saw, but… There was no way this could be a school. 6 of my school could fit inside with room to spare. The yard was pampered beyond compare, decorated with fountains, ponds, hedges, and flowers. A colossal, pink clock tower overlooked a cluster of large buildings.

"Ho. Ly. Crap," I uttered. I saw students chatting under white columns and in allies- yes, this place was so big it had allies- and on benches. The boys wore expensive-looking black dress pants and shoes, a white undershirt, and purple-blue jacket with the school logo on it, and a tie. The girls wore a slightly simple yellow dress with a red bow, white lace collars, black Mary Jane's, and white stockings. I glanced down at my school uniform: a lavender blazer with sleeves that ended at my elbows and had white cuffs on the ends, a black tie, a simple white collar, a dark colored miniskirt, knee high white socks, and black shoes with a buckle on the side. I always personally liked this uniform. It's comfortable _and _cute. But compared to what these kids were wearing, it looked like crap.

After going through some security procedures, I finally entered.

"Excuse me," I asked someone sheepishly. "Where can I put my bike…?" They laughed, stuck up their face, and walked away. Of course. Rich people drive- or are _drove_- everywhere. I laid my bike against a tree and told it my good-byes. I was sure it wouldn't be there when I got back.

As I approached the pink Hogwarts, I felt everyone I passed stare at me like I was a newly discovered species. But not a necessarily big find, like a still living dinosaur; more like a new type of insect. Great. These people would think of me as Bug Girl.

I ignored their whispers as I came into the academy. My jaw dropped. It was even bigger on the inside than the out. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings. Exotic plants were everywhere. The stairwells and balconies were gigantic. Yup. Definitely a pink Hogwarts.

I stuck my hand in my shirt pocket and searched for the slip of paper with the room number on it. Crap. It was in my bike basket. I let out an exasperated sigh. Why couldn't I remember things? Was Sara a music or art teacher? Was she on the first or second floor? Come to think of it, was she even in this building? I wanted to cry and kick myself at the same time.

Then my bipolar mind came up with an idea. I would just ask a student where her room was. ALL rich people couldn't be jerks, right?  
>Wrong, apparently. Everyone I approached either walked away, ignored me, or gave me a disgusted look. I sighed.<p>

I narrowed Sara down to being an art or music teacher. That was a start. And I knew there was a 3 somewhere in the room number. That had to be worth _something_. But oh, this was impossible! Why did she need my help anyway? Again: I'm gonna kill her. After wandering around for nearly half an hour, I stumbled upon a room labeled "Music Room #3." I should've known that the class I was looking for had a 2 digit number. But the microscopic spark of hope I felt was too much. I opened the door… and changed my life forever.


	2. Chapter 2

I was greeted by a draft of the most pleasant aroma. Like a rich perfume, only better because it wasn;t sickeningly strong. It caressed my senses. It smelled like a heavenly combination of roses, coffee, and sweets.

But what snapped me out of these dream was what- well, who- was waiting, for who I don't know, in the middle of the room: a group… of total freaks. There were 6 guys standing around a purple-eyed blonde who was sitting on a chair in the middle. To his right was a boy with black hair, glasses, and a notebook, and a brown-haired boy who looked awfully feminine. To his left, a tall dark-haired boy and a young blonde boy with a pink stuffed bunny. Behind him were 2 identical boys with spiky orange hair. "Welcome, guest," they said in unison. I blinked. "Uh, hi…?" was all I could utter. The tall blonde in the middle stood and approached me.

"You're not from Ouran, I see," he noted in a charming tone.

"N-no… I-I'm from Orion H-High School," I stuttered.

"This IS Ouran, you poor delusional girl." He smiled sweetly as he said this, an odd pleasure flickering in his eyes. Jerk must dig retarded fan girls.

"She said Orion, Tamaki. It's a 3 star school a couple blocks away," the one with glasses explained briefly. I nodded a little. This sure as hell wasn't my cousin's room.

"3 stars? Ohhhh, so you're a commoner!" Tamaki exclaimed with strange fascination. The word stung me for some reason. _Commoner. _What was this, the 18th century? Who gave the throne to this dumb blonde? Those other boys, obviously.

"Don't listen to them," the girlish boy said with a smile. "They were fascinated that I'm a 'commoner' at first too. It blows over." Even his voice sounded like a girl's. "My name's Haruhi Fujioka."

"That's even a girl's name," I murmured. I immediately covered my mouth. That was supposed to stay in my head. Everybody looked utterly surprised, but Haruhi smiled a little. "Yeah, I'm a girl. People just mistake me for a boy. These guys did, thus I'm a member of this club."

"How interesting, but could you tell me that story later? I need to find someone," I said in a rushed tone.

"Who?" the twins asked in unison. Finally! Someone who would help me out!  
>"U-um, Ms. Sara Martin. She's a new teacher here," I told them. Haruhi blinked and the twins exchanged glances.<p>

"She's not here today," the carrot-headed boys said simultaneously.

"Ms. Martin called out sick at the last minute this morning," stated the one on the right.

His twin nodded. "We had a substitute today." I blinked, dumbfounded. How could Sara NOT tell me she was out today?

"If you don't mind my asking, why did you need to find her?" the one in the glasses inquired.

"She's my cousin. She asked if I could help clean up her room after class every day," I replied.

"Well, since you can't visit her now, why don't you stick around?" Tamaki suggested. I only thought about that for a few seconds. Go home and do absolutely nothing except watch reruns and attempt my homework (then give up 'cause I'm an idiot) or hang out with rich, super cute boys and a girl I might befriend. The second one, no doubt. I smiled, a little sheepish, and nodded. "Sure. I'm Cassandra Martin, by the way." Tamaki smiled and cupped my chin in his hand.

"Oo, Cassandra. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl," he crooned. I blushed but jumped back.

"S-sorry, I don't go for flirts," I squeaked. Tamaki chuckled.

"Allow me to introduce us. The tall one is Mori-senpai. He doesn't talk much. The little blondie is Honey-senpai. Don't let his young looks fool you: he's actually 15." My jaw had to drop at this. The kid looked 6. "The twins are Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin. Kaoru on the left, Hikaru on the right. They may look identical, but when separated, they're like yin and yang. The one with the glasses is Kyouya-senpai. Or as I call him, Mommy. He helps keep us in order. You've met Haruhi, our little misfit cross dresser. And I am Tamaki, their king!" he explained. I just nodded. I guess the "king" fits in with calling people commoners.

"Together, we make up the Ouran High School Host Club!" Tamaki concluded with robust enthusiasm. My eyes widened. I had read about host clubs before transferring to Japan.

"S-so you guys are just a bunch of flirting players with perverted minds and nothing better to do than mess with girls' feelings?" I shrieked. Tamaki and Honey looked offended, but the others didn't seem to care. Haruhi and the twins even appeared to agree with me.

"That is absolutely not true! Girls adore us hosts, and we make them feel good about themselves! The Host Club is an elegant playground for-"

"Yeah that's nice. Now, I should be going," I interrupted Tamaki. With abrupt haste, I turned and sped out the door. "Come back soon!" an adorably sweet voice called after me. Must be Honey. I sighed. Maybe doing nothing WOULD beat this. But of course I had to second guess myself. Then I regretted it. Now I never will.


	3. Chapter 3

I left school a little early since I had to walk. I wasn't bike-jacked like I expected, but I found it without a chain and I couldn't afford a new one. I hate rich people.

I had called Sara the very moment I got home. She apologized a lot and swore she would come the next day. She had me write the room number, class (she was an art teacher) and directions 3 times each on 3 different pieces of paper. I guess I do like Sara sometimes.

Soon enough, I was in her classroom putting paints away. Everything was new: unlike anything in my school. I came across a neatly packed box labeled "Host Club". I shuddered a little.

"Hey Cassie, would you mind taking that box up to Music Room #3? The boys there were asking for it," Sara asked in her too-nice-too-hate-but-not-sickeningly-so voice. I moaned and picked up the box. It was heavy. Maybe I would collapse on the way there. I mentally crossed my fingers on that one.

I was exhausted by the time I made it to Hell the Host Club. I tried to balance the box in one arm so I could open the door with the other, but failed. So instead I kicked the door hard enough to be audible but soft enough not to damage it 9although I'd imagine it would hurt me more than the door). It opened almost immediately.

"CASSIE-CHAN!" shrieked Honey, bounding over and wrapping his arms around my waist. The pipsqueak nearly knocked me over.

"You knocked the wind out of her," the tall quiet one -Mori- stated. His voice was deep and made me compare him to Frankenstein.

He leaned over a little and took the box from me. Silently, he carried it over to a sofa using one hand. He didn't even seem to notice the weight. Show off.

My eyes drifted to the King of Ego. He had been speaking on an old fashioned phone, and now hung it up. He spun around to face me, eyes sparkling.

"That was your cousin, Cassie." Were they all calling me Cassie now? "She would like you to stay here for a while. You know, to relax." I think they might've noticed how devastated I looked, since Tamaki looked disappointed and the Hitachiins snickered.

"You'll be able to see how this club really operates. Yesterday was slow business; we only had 5 customers after you," Kyouya told me. I nodded a little. Why should I care exactly?

"So, uh, what in the box you needed?" I asked. I had never heard my own voice so unenthusiastic. In response, Mori opened the mentioned box. It contained expensive, high quality paints, fine-tip markers, rows of pre-sharpened pencils, ribbons, streamers, and tubes of glitter glue.

"We came up with the grand idea to paint portraits of our clients. They would surely swoon at our artistic talent," Tamaki exclaimed. Like there wasn't enough to swoon about. "The ribbons and streamers are for decorating. You can help before business really starts, if you like," he offered. I chewed on the inside of my cheek.

"Uh, sure." In an instant, my feet were a couple inches off the floor. I made an "eep" noise in surprise. Kaoru had taken my left arm, Hikaru my right, and they swept me to the center of the room effortlessly. Spread out on the floor was a large, blank white banner.

"We need help decorating this," Hikaru told me. "The boss wants it to say 'Welcome to the Host Club' in big letters, with hearts and roses drawn somewhere on it," his twin added. Tamaki nodded, approving their instructions. I nodded half-heartedly. This place was so weird.

"Honey wants to help too!" cried Honey excitedly. So Captain Bunny talks in 3rd person. Creep.

I kneeled down between the twins and grabbed the paintbrush Honey chucked at me before it hit my face. Kyouya poured the vivid paints into cups and delicately placed them on paper towels behind us. Tamaki threw on a smock and offered one to everyone, including me. I wondered why he had extras.

I dipped my brush into the navy blue paint then tapped it on the rim of the cup. I bit my lip and put all my concentration into that brush. I was never much of an artist, and something propelled me to do my best on this banner. Maybe I didn't hate these guys as much as I thought.

Without saying one word the whole time, I completed the W. Tamaki nodded over my shoulder. I guess it looked okay. I had to smile a little.

I wiped off the brush and dipped it into a baby blue. I would make the L dark like the W. As I started on my E, I felt a dab of wetness on the tip of my nose. My sense of smell whispered the word _paint_ at me. My reflexes told me to slap away whatever poked me. If only I hadn't listened to my reflexes, because using my hand that held a wet paintbrush, I had just bitch slapped Hikaru Hitachiin.

I covered my mouth with my free hand and widened my eyes. "O-oh my gosh, I'm so sorry…! Now you have a blue… smish on your cheek!" I breathed. Hikaru didn't get angry like I expected him to. Instead, he snickered.

"Heh. _Smish. _I like that word." I reduced the strength I used to clamp my hand over my mouth and smiled a bit.

"H-here, I'll get you a paper towel," I offered, getting to my feet. He shook his head and stood as well. Grinning mischievously, he held up his red-paint-coated brush. He softly smacked it across my cheek. "There. Now we're even." I giggled.

"Can I borrow that, Kaoru? I'd like to destroy your brother," I asked in a sweet tone. Kaoru laughed and gave me the brush with green paint on it.

I was totally oblivious to the girls that arrived as Hikaru and I painted every visible part of skin on our bodies. As girls began giving me dirty looks (I heard 'filthy commoner' a lot), Kaoru often dabbed Hikaru's face gently with a paper towel. He thanked him in an affectionate, appreciative tone each time.

"The girls only like us 'cause we pretend to take brotherly love verrrrry seriously. The love it for some reason," he explained in a whisper, swiping some purple across my neck. I nodded a little, thinking how nasty these girls are.

"Oh hey, what time is it?" I asked after a while. I saw the banner through my peripheral vision. Someone had finished the "Welcome" using my color scheme. Haruhi, probably. The paint Hikaru and I attacked each other with was splattered across it, but it looked like rainbow polka dots. I personally liked it.

"It's 4:32," Hikaru answered. I gasped. Sara was expecting me to be back 2 minutes ago. She was uber nice, she'd understand, right?

"Oh gosh! I gotta go! Bye you guys, I'll be back tomorrow if Sara doesn't kill me!" I exclaimed, dashing out the door.

"Commoners are fun," smiled Hikaru once I was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

I love Sara. Most people would see their little cousin late for return and covered in paint and at least gasp or scold them. Not Sara. She just laughed and said, "Kid, you look like you bathed in Skittles." She brought out a full-body mirror for me to look in. My eyes widened, but I had to laugh too. My nose was red. My neck was purple. My hands were blue. My forehead was pink. My cheeks were green. I remembered Hikaru looking similar and laughed even harder.

It wasn't until the car ride home that Sara asked what had happened. Her smile brightened when I told her. "Cute. Real cute."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked. Sara just kept smiling as if she hadn't heard me.

"But, those hosts are sweet boys. I'm not too fond of what they do, and some of them are a bit… off, but they're real nice," she told me. I remember when I was little I used to want her Tennessee accent. I'd always try to impersonate it, and fail. I still can't do it.

When the bell rang the next afternoon, Anju was towering over me. Which was odd, since I'm 3 inches taller than her. Oh. I must've fallen asleep in class again.

Anju read my thoughts through my expression. She let out an exasperated sigh. "Cassie, you need to get your act together. You're _failing. _If you do bad in school, you can't go to college. And if you can't go to college, you can't get a good job. And if you can't get a good job you'll live a crappy life!" she lectured me.

"Nah, I'll just marry one of those rich guys I told you about this morning," I yawned. Anju smiled a little, recalling how animated I had been when telling her about my short experiences at the host club.

"Geez, Cass," she sighed, still smiling, and closing her eyes. I stood and smiled back at her.

"Sara's gonna be here to pick me up any minute. Call you later?" She nodded, and I left.

"Hi, Cassie!" exclaimed the twins when I came to the club that day. I was already getting used to strangers called me Cassie instead of Cassandra. Or, I was getting used to these strangers. Sara had already cleaned up most of her room before I got there, so I was on my way out by 3.

"The club is closed today so we can finish decorating," smiled Kaoru. I smiled back and followed them into the room.

First I was instructed to help Mori hang streamers. I had to stand on a chair to reach. They didn't seem to mind, but they did make me take my shoes off.

I was almost finished hanging the last one. I had to stand on my tippy-toes in order to get it just right. But poor sense of balance + gravity = disaster.

I felt myself begin to teeter, but was too concentrated on getting the streamer just right. These people were already turning me into a perfectionist. Almost done, when suddenly…

I shrieked as I fell backward and failed to balance myself. I felt 4 hands catch me: 2 on the left arm, 2 on the right. I knew it was Hikaru and Kaoru by how synced their catch was. They grinned at me, and I feebly smiled back.

"Why don't we take a break?" suggested Kyouya.

A few bowls of snacks were set out on the table. I reached for what resembled potato chips, but sure weren't. The taste was absolutely indescribable. I couldn't decide the origin of the name Kyouya said it was called. French, maybe? I put a handful back. No sense eating something I can't pronounce.

"So Cassandra, what's it like being a commoner?" Tamaki inquired. Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Oh, here we go."

"Fine, I guess." I shrugged. What type of answer was he expecting?

"Is it hard, being poor?" Honey asked, forking cake into his mouth.

"Yeah, I guess. We have to work extra hard."

Now Tamaki spoke again. "What type of low ranked job do you and your parents have? Fast food employee? Gas station worker? Cashier? Waiter or waitress?" This hurt me. A lot. Especially the part about _low ranking. _I suddenly stood up, eyes watering.

"Did I say something wrong?" Tamaki asked innocently.

"No. I just hate rich people." With that I ran out of the room. I slid against the wall next to the door and put my head in my knees.

The twins stood and called my name simultaneously. I heard them whisper something about my space, then they had a game of rock-paper-scissors. Hikaru won. My heart nearly stopped beating.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked in a calm tone, emerging from the door. I turned away from him bitterly and didn't answer. He sat beside me. "Guess not." I sighed and glanced at him. "No," I stated.

"Tell me what's wrong. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to," he persuaded softly.

"I just really hate rich people."

"Why?" he urged.

I turned to face him all the way. It's a good thing I don't wear makeup, because my tear's would've made me look like a raccoon clown by now.

"You probably hear girls' issues all the time. I don't wanna bother you," I muttered. Hikaru scooted a centimeter closer.

"But they're all just rich, spoiler fan girls. Their problems are all about ex-boyfriends and makeup and money. You're a commoner your problems will probably be more interesting. Plus, I only listen to their problems because I have to. I'll listen to yours because I _want_ to." I blushed a little and bit my lip.

"O-ok. If you really wanna hear the whole story…" Hikaru nodded so I took a deep breath.

"When I was little, my parents got in a huge fight and my mother left. A few years later, she came back for me. My dad never moved on, but my mom was with this new guy. He was a millionaire. When I got older, I asked my mom why she loved the man. She told me it was all for his looks and money. That revolted me. Sure, living in a mansion was fantastic, but there was no _love_ in the whole place.

"One night when I was 14, I was out with some friends. The man took my mom into a secret place- I never learned where- and said he would pay her $2000 if she married him. Plus he'd pay for the whole wedding." My eyes really started to tear up, and I hugged my knees tighter. My voice cracked for the next few sentences. "On the day he was supposed to give her the money, he changed his mind. S-since he didn't want her to hold the money thing against him, th-that night… H-he murdered her." Tears began silently cascading down my cheeks. I cringed a little when my body suddenly felt warm. Hikaru had wrapped his left arm around my shoulders, scooted so close that I could feel his breath and placed the side of his head on the top of mine. I blushed and nearly stopped breathing.

From his pocket he withdrew a handkerchief with golden lace around the frilly edges. It was probably real gold. Jerk.

But I couldn't be mad at Hikaru. He did nothing wrong. And, he was _hugging _me. I timidly took the silky cloth and dabbed my eyes.

"Not all rich people are like that," Hikaru murmured. I sniffed.

"I-I know, it's a stereotype. I just… I-I dunno. Maybe I just don't want the s-same thing to happen to m-me. I'm sorry," I whispered. Hikaru shook his head and hugged me tighter.

"Don't be sorry. And don't worry. Us hosts aren't just flirts. We also help girls when they need it. We won't let anyone hurt you. Or, if the others don't for some reason, _I'll _protect you," he promised in a low, caring tone.

Although I do like my hair, I never really thought of myself as pretty. I'm not supermodel material either. I'm a horrible student and very forgetful. I'm poor and unathletic. I'm just _average. _No, that's giving myself too much credit. I'm below average. I'm a nobody. Yet, here I was, being embraced by a handsome, playful, filthy rich boy who promised to keep me safe.

I hate rich people.

But I trust this one.


	5. Chapter 5

After my eyes were drier, Hikaru offered me his arm. I linked my elbow with his and got precariously to my feet. "But that story isn't the only reason I'm upset," I told him before we entered the room. "It's also because all those jobs Tamaki mentioned… My mom had all of them at one point in time." Hikaru flashed me a sympathetic frown, then took my hand and led me inside.

The next day, Sara let me go straight to the Host Club. Honestly, I would've preferred to stay with her. But I guess it felt good to be with some friends after a long, hard day. Anju had been absent, and it was TORTURE. As I was telling Haruhi about my crappy day, the twins ran up to me.

"Let's play the Which One Is Hikaru Game!" they exclaimed in unison. I giggled.

"Sounds fun! And easy." A few girls gave me dirty looks.

"It's anything BUT easy. They're exactly alike," one girl said in a snooty tone. The way she talked to me was like picking a bug off your shirt: you don't want to do it, but it's necessary.

I narrowed my eyes at her and pointed at the twins individually as I said their names. "That one's Hikaru. That one's Kaoru," I said confidently without a hint of uncertainty in my voice. The spectators gasped.

"How did you KNOW?" some of them chimed. I smiled, feeling like I had accomplished a huge feat.

"First of all, Hikaru's voice is a little deeper than Kaoru's. Secondly, Kaoru's vibe is more innocent than Hikaru's. And lastly, Hikaru and I are… closer mentally, I suppose I can put it." The twins expressions both changed very slightly; Hikaru's positively, Kaoru's negatively. I hoped Kaoru didn't think I liked his brother better than him. Although…

"You know, they don't like many people outside the Host Club like they like you," Haruhi whispered in my ear. I blinked, waiting for a further explanation. Haruhi supplied me with one, still in a hushed tone.

"Besides the hosts, the twins don't really have any friends. They kept to themselves before they met Tamaki. Sure, they'll talk to the girls that come here, but they don't really take a liking to them. They seem to _actually _be enjoying themselves around you." I blushed and smiled a little. Either these people were insane, or I was more likeable than I thought. I hoped the second one.


	6. Chapter 6

I had made a habit of visiting the Host Club every day after school. I even took Anju with me a couple times. She scared Tamami with her goth-like getup.

When I returned about a month after the last mentioned incident, I was sort of nervous. Kyouya had offered to tutor me. With all the anonymous things he wrote in his notebook, I feared he was Kira.*DEATH NOTE REFERENCE*

But I learned he was actually a very nice guy. His patience with my hopelessness made the other girls swoon and me smile. By the end of the hour, a miracle had taken place: I understood math _and _science. Afterwards he set me free.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna go get a lemonade from the vending machine on the curb. Anyone want one?" I offered. The twins both raised their hands. I guess they were the only ones comfortable with a commoner spending money on them.

I rocked on my heels as I waited for my drinks. I was humming _Everybody Loves Me _by _One Republic _when a tough looking guy in an Ouran uniform approached me. He must be a senior.

" 'Ey. You ain't from around here, huh?" I didn't know rich kids could have such gruff voices and bad grammar. But this jock wasn't ruining my good mood.

"No, I'm from Orion High School down the block," I indicated. The first lemonade can finally plopped down. I reach for it, but the guy grabbed my wrist.

"You're real pretty, ya know that?" My heartbeat started to quicken.

"Back off, I-I have a boyfriend!" was the first thing I could think of to say. I hoped Hikaru wouldn't find out about that remark. The boy's expression fell. He looked almost sympathetic.

"What a shame. Well, I need a new punching bag." Before I had time to react, the boy twisted my arm a good 360 degrees. I screeched in pain when I heard a sickening _snap._

He grabbed me by the neck so hard I could barely breathe and slammed me against the wall. I felt the blood slosh around my head and something tiny but significant crack. My whole body felt limp and tingly all of a sudden. Blood trickled down my jaw. I closed my eyes so I didn't see what else he did to me. I did, however, feel a few more fists (until everything went numb) and hear some echoed laughter. He must've brought backup.

Then suddenly I heard him yell, "Hey! Get off me!"

I opened my eyes to see a familiar, carrot-headed boy holding back his fist. The leader was a whole head and a half taller than the twin, but that didn't seem to faze him. I tried to focus on which direction his hair parted in: To the right…

Then everything went black.

"Hikaru!" was the first thing I exclaimed when I awoke. Probably because that's what I wanted to say before I lost consciousness. I automatically realized I was on a hospital, though it was cleaner than any one I'd ever been to. I sat up, then immediately fell back down. It felt like I had been hit by a truck. I noticed my arm was in a cast and I was wearing a neck brace. I wanted a mirror to see how horrible I looked, but was a bit relieved I didn't have one.

"Hikaru…" I murmured again, pleadingly. It was like his name was all I knew to say. But, I guess I did want to see him. I wanted a familiar face to clear up this alien place a little.

A doctor glanced at me. "Is Mr. Hitachiin who you're referring to?" he asked. I nodded. Just that one little bob from my head made my whole spine feel like it was breaking. It gave me a brief headache too. "Stay as still as possible, Ms. Martin. I'll be back shortly," the doctor told me. Instead of nodding, I whispered "Okay."

A few minutes later, Hikaru burst into the room. "Cassie!" He ran to my side immediately. He looked scared while relieved at the same time.

My heart sank. I probably looked better than him, and I was in a hospital bed. He had dark shadows under his eyes and his hair was uncombed. His uniform was wrinkled, as if he had slept in it. Did he? Without taking his eyes off me, he kept rubbing his neck and attempting to crack it like it was sore.

"Hikaru, could you explain everything? And in order?" I asked feebly. He shoulders relaxed a little.

"Of course. I knew how bad you are with directions, so I went to make sure you weren't lost. Kaoru wanted to come too, but he's pretty sucky at RPS." It took me a moment to realize that stood for rock-paper-scissors. "When I got there, that guy and his goons were beating you senseless. I don't know if you heard over all their guffawing, but the leader guy said he wanted to 'finish you off' by himself. Me and Kaoru had beat up his friends before, so they backed off. But I had to hold back the big guy. You passed out, then I sent the guy crying home to his mommy. I had Tamaki drive you to the hospital. My family's hospital is 5 stars and I'm always welcome there, but it was too far away for me to take a chance…" Wow. Hikaru sure cared about me a whole lot…

"But, how long have I been here?" I inquired. Hikaru thought for a moment, glancing at the clock and counting on his fingers.

"About 28 hours." My eyes widened. I had been asleep for over a day.

"I slept in the waiting room, because I wanted to be here when you woke up." That would explain why he looked like he had missed out on sleep. Poor Hikaru!

He must have noticed the sympathy in my expression because he quickly added, "But don't worry about me, you're the one with broken bones." It was awkwardly silent for a moment, which never happens with us.

"Thank you, Hikaru… You saved my life," I murmured. He sat on the bedside and wrapped his arms around me so gently I wasn't even sure he was touching me at all.

"I'm just glad you're okay," he whispered. I shakily placed my not-casted hand on his chest; it was the best hug I could give. If I wasn't so broken, I would want him to hug me- would want to hug _him_- tighter, and never leave his arms.

I began to silently (except for a few quiet whimpers) cry. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I just fully realized that I could have died. Hikaru gingerly moved his hands to my cheeks to catch my tears and repeatedly whispered, "Shh. It's okay."


	7. Chapter 7

Over the next hour, the whole Host Club came to visit me. Kyouya brought me flowers. Tamaki cried longer and harder than I had. Honey let me keep Usa-chan- that's his pink bunny- until I got better. Mori wished me well. Haruhi stayed for a while and spoke girl-talk with me. Even Renge, the club's French female manager who hated me as much as I despised her stopped by to tell me to get better.

Kaoru lingered the longest, apologizing for not coming to back Hikaru up. "Even though I lost R-P-S I still should've come. I shouldn't have listened when Hikaru told me to stay… I'm so sorry."

"It's FINE, Kaoru. Really," I assured for about the hundredth time. He just sighed skeptically.

"Hikaru, maybe you should go home and get some rest," he suggested. Hikaru nodded.

When halfway out the door, he stopped and glanced at me like he wanted to say something- _do_ something- but knew better. I gave him the best smile I could manage, and he smiled back at me tiredly. Then he left.

"Thank you, Cassandra," stated Kaoru. I blinked.

"Huh?"

"You know how I'm the more gentle of the Hitachiin twins? Well, Hikaru… He doesn't really understand peoples' feelings. I didn't used to either, but I learned. With his personality, my brother's had more difficulty with empathy and friendship. Since the Host Club, he's begun to learn. But I think you gave him that final supportive shove he needed." He smiled almost apologetically at me, embarrassed in advanced for what he was about to say.

"All us hosts like you. You're pretty, and fun, and east to get along with… But my feelings for you might be a bit romantic. However… I lost my chance to really bond with you. Hikaru has taken that chance, multiple times. Even if he hadn't and I had, I'd still think you two are better suited for each other than we would be." I blushed, out of both flattery and guilt. Guilt because all this time poor Kaoru had a crush on me and I was blind to it. But even _he _thought I should be with his brother…

"Well, see you later," he said.

"Yeah, see ya…" I murmured. I smiled at him to assure him I wasn't mad. He smiled back confidently and left. I carefully slid into laying down, clenching my teeth and sucking in my breath at the pain. I would have some things to tell Hikaru next time I saw him.


	8. Chapter 8

I had fallen asleep when I laid down, and when I awoke, Anju and my dad were there. They helped me try on crutches, since my left leg was pretty badly sprained. They originally wanted me in a wheelchair, but my right leg was only bruised. I could only use one crutch though, since my right arm was broken.

With my clumsiness, it was rather difficult to master balancing myself on one crutch. I fell often, nearly breaking even more bones. Luckily, my dad caught me gently each time. This wasn't the way I expected to spend time with my old man, but I took what I got.

There wasn't one day at least one of the Hitachiins didn't call to check in on me. Sometimes it was just a quick "Hey, how ya doing?" Others we had long conversations, topics varying from what I had missed at the Host Club to the new dog the twins wanted to adopt to the weather to what I was watching on TV. It wasn't long before I almost completely forgot about what Kaoru had said.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Sara asked as she led me down the hall. "I'll be fine. Trust me," I assured her. It was 2 weeks since they let me out of the hospital and I insisted that I visit the Host Club. Reluctantly, Sara opened the door to Music Room #3.

To my surprise, all the hosts' face lit up _except _the twins. They actually looked rather angry at me.

"Cassandra!" They started with my real name. That couldn't be good. "You're supposed to be on bed rest!" They ran to my sides and looked me up and down. They began gingerly leading me to a couch, like they were my loving big brothers or overprotective fathers. I smiled at them.

"C'mon guys, I'm okay. I came here to hang out, not have you worry about me." The twins were hesitant to let me off, but when they saw that my happiness was genuine, they gave in.

When the guests arrived, Hikaru and Kaoru didn't even bother with their brotherly love act. They sat with me, guarding me, as if the jealous fan girls would break my few bones that remained intact. They did attempt their act, though, by holding hands on the back of the couch. But the girls didn't seem to notice, since they're arms were draped around my shoulders.

When the guests started thinning out, I noticed one girl glaring daggers at me. I recognized her as the twins' biggest fan. As she stared, Hikaru moved closer and blocked me from her vision protectively. That made me remember Kaoru's words.

"H-hey, Hiakru… Can we talk? Alone?" I asked timidly. He smiled at me. "Of course." This made his #1 fan stomp off in disgust.

Hiakru led me a couple doors down to another abandoned classroom. It was a bit dusty, but I didn't care.

"I, didn't get to thank you properly for saving me," I began. I hoped this was a good start. The only time I'd said "I love you" to a boy was at a Bruno Mars concert, along with millions of others.

"Your brother said some things to me at the hospital, and, they got me thinking." I spoke slowly. My eyes were beginning to water as I tried to stare into his. Those pools of gold made me choke up for a moment, but I continued.

"Hikaru, I've never been so happy around someone… I, um… I love you, Hikaru!" I sucked in my breath, heartbeat quickening, and gave him my "proper thanks": a kiss.

I hoped I was a good kisser. I'd "practiced" since I was 8 (I was a very curious 8 year old), with pillows, stuffed animals, Ken dolls, and even an old poster of Joe Jonas. I opened one teary eye to get a glimpse at Hikaru's reaction. His cheeks were a light shade of pink, but his eyes were closed and I felt his lips caress mine in return. It felt heavenly. Relieving, too, knowing that my first kiss wasn't wasted.

"I love you too," Hikaru murmured once I moved back. If we didn't have to breathe, I would've kissed him longer. Stupid need for oxygen.

Hikaru's eyes down a little as if he was evaluating what he had just said. I think I saw him give a small nod. I smiled. If my assumption was correct, Hikaru seemed content with our confession.

"Even though I admit to having a crush on Haruhi before, I never imagined myself with a commoner. In all honesty, I never imagined myself in a relationship at all," Hikaru said quietly. My smile softened and I pressed my good hand against his cheek.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Hikaru. You're PERFECT. In my eyes at least." Hikaru smiled and placed his hand on top of mine.

"Since we're all lovey-dovey, would you like to be my girlfriend?" Hikaru offered. I grinned brighter.

"Duh! It'd be an honor." He gave a short laugh and kissed the top of my head. I felt like the luckiest and happiest commoner alive.


	9. Chapter 9

Hikaru and I agreed to keep our new relationship a secret for a while. It was hard enough to keep quiet, but not being all couple-ish was even harder. After a week, we cracked and discreetly kissed in the hall. But, Honey caught us.

The club reacted very positively. Tamaki was "so proud" while Haruhi was happy for us. Kaoru was happy as well, but he saw it coming. Hikaru had apparently been much more pleasant lately, so he suspected something went well with our private talk.

At first I expected me and Hikaru's relationship to loosen Hikaru's ties to the Host Club, but it actually tightened them. The twins had a new act, involving Kaoru's jealousy and devastation. It was actually pretty amusing to me. It made Kaoru gain fans and Hikaru lose some, but we were all perfectly fine with that.

"Hey, Cassie," Hikaru approached me one day. By now my arm was reduced from being in a cast to a sling, and my sprained leg was healing, so the damned crutch was no longer needed. I felt 10 times better. "We've been dating for nearly 4 weeks, but we haven't been on ONE date. Tonight, do you wanna go out for dinner?" he asked. I smiled, now feeling 50 times better.

"Sounds great!" I agreed. Hikaru smiled back. Suddenly, though, a mischievous expression crossed his face.

"I know that look… What are you thinking of?" I inquired.

"Operation Get-Anju-and-Kaoru-Together!" he exclaimed. I grinned. I had brought Anju with me to the Host Club a total of 7 times. She got along with the twins the best. Now that Hikaru was mine (I still swooned a little mentally over that fact), if Anju was with Kaoru, we'd be like sisters.

"I like it! Now, let's make a plan."

That night at 5, Hikaru drove me to the restaurant _Purple Pigeon _in my dad's car so we didn't attract tpp much attention with a rich people car. We both dressed casual since it was a simple burger-selling family restaurant. We ate and talked for a while, then a little before 6, our plan unfolded.

"Oh look, Anju just walked in. 10 minutes early, as expected. Time for action!" I squealed. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail so Anju wouldn't recognize me from the back if she saw me and ran off to the lady's room. So when I greeted Anju, she wouldn't immediately know I had eaten here already; she would think I just slipped in past her to use the restroom. I'd wait a while, since I'm NEVER early or on time for anything. Meanwhile, Kaoru would be arriving soon.

AT 6:12, I let down my hair and came to the waiting section. "Hey Anjie!" I called. She smiled and gave a small wave back. Luckily, the moment I walked up to her, Kaoru walked through the door.

"Well Cassandra, shall we?" Hikaru walked up behind me and placed his hands gingerly on my shoulders. I smirked up at him and nodded.

"Kaoru, Anju, have fun!" I exclaimed, taking Hikaru's arm with my good one. They blinked.

"Huh?"

"Cassie and I are going to see a movie. We just ate. You two are gonna go on a date," Hikaru explained with a sly smile. Their eyes widened.

"YOU GUYS SET US UP ON A BLIND DATE?" they shrieked angrily. Hikaru and I nodded cheerfully and ran out the door, leading my best friend and my boyfriend's younger twin brother to hopefully find love together. I admit, the plan wasn't very well thought out and there were plenty of ways those 2 could easily get out of it, but hey. Destiny might be on our side.


	10. Chapter 10

The movie was pretty good. At least, it sounded good. Hikaru and I made out through most of it. When we weren't making out, we were too busy thinking about how awesome the last kiss was to concentrate on the movie.

Anyway, when I saw Anju the next day, I thought she'd be ready to kick my ass. But instead, she was all smiles.

"Cassie! Hey!" she beckoned to me as I strode up the walkway to the fast food place we hung out at on Saturdays. Afraid her joy was a fake she was using to lure me in and kill me, I was hesitant to approach her. But when I did, she hugged me. _Hugged me. _And Anju was all about personal space.

"Thank you for what you and Hikaru did!" I gasped, beaming.

"No way! Don't tell me you actually went on that date?" Anju winked at me.

"Oh, I did! And gosh, Kaoru is so sweet! You're right when you say the twins are really their own person when they're alone. I was ready to turn on my heels and go, but he offered that we grab a bite together, since we were already there. So we got a table and started talking. He remembered that I was a vegetarian, and ordered for me without my asking. He got me a veggie burger: just what I wanted! And then he…"

As Anju continued her reflection of the night, my smile softened. Anju was always the serious of the two of us. With her dark mascara, single pierced ear, and spiky black hair, she was as nonconforming as could be. Like the twins, she closed herself from the world. She was my opposite: I tried to make friends and failed, people tried to be _her_ friend and failed. Yet somehow… we understood each other. Since that fateful day in 6th grade when our science teacher assigned us a project together, we were each other's' worlds. Besides our families, nobody else existed in our universe. The only people we talked enthusiastically about were ones on TV or when laughing about someone we hate. Now here Anju was, out-of-characteristically going off on a fantastic day she had with someone else. It's amazing what love can do to a person.

"-and he said _let's do this again some other time._ Do you know what that means?" Anju exclaimed.

"You two are totally going out!" I squealed. Anju nodded enthusiastically, gray eyes sparkling. I clapped gently (which is very difficult with a sling) and jumped up and down.

"Do you have any idea how PERFECT this is? Now we're practically sisters!" I cried. Anju nodded and took my good hand.

"EEP!" we shrieked in unison. Anju very rarely was this animated, but I never take the times that she is for granted.

Our celebrating was suddenly interrupted by _We R Who We R_ by Ke$ha sounding from my skirt pocket. I dug through it and pressed "answer" on my phone without paying attention to the number.

"Cassandra speaking," I chimed.

"Hey, it's me. Put it on speaker." I grinned at the happiness in the familiar voice as I did as I was told. Kaoru must've told him.

"Hey baaaaaby! How goes it?" I squeaked.

"AMAZING. Did Anju tell you?" I could hear the grin in Hikaru's voice.

"Yuuuup! Mission successful!" Hikaru laughed in victory.

"I'm here too," came the voice of Kaoru. He sounded even happier than his brother. "So, there's only 2 weeks until summer vacation," he began. I had nearly forgotten that fact! I'd need to schedule a time for Kyouya and Anju to tutor me for final exams.

"In like, 6 months, our parents are throwing a party," continued Hikaru. "Everyone who's anyone in the world of the rich is invited. The whole Host Club is coming too. It's gonna take place on a yacht that belongs to a friend of our mom. Our parents are letting Kaoru and I bring dates, so…" My and Anju's eyes lit widened then lit up. We, who were at the bottom of the commoner totem pole, were being invited to a party on a yacht!  
>"We'd love to!" we chimed. But abruptly, my face fell.<p>

"Wait… No offense Anju, but won't we be embarrassments to your family? I mean, we're commoners…"

"Don't worry about it, Cassie!" the twins exclaimed simultaneously.

"If our parents like you, your rank won't matter," smiled Hikaru. I nodded. But then my face fell again.

"W-wait, when am I meeting your parents…?"

"Both of you are, and this evening at around 5! If you're available," the twins replied. Anju was back to her calm and cool personnel.

"Yeah, we're free."

"Great! See ya then!" The twins hung up, leaving me speechless with an open phone that was blaring a consistent "beeeeep" noise. How the hell was I supposed to impress the parents of some of the richest, handsomest boys alive, with only 5 hours to prepare?


	11. Chapter 11

"I've never met a rich boy's parents… What do I wear?" I asked Anju, digging through my wardrobe. She shrugged, turning the page of her _Black Butler_ manga.

"Why would I know? You can't try too hard, or they're think you're, well, trying too hard. Just wear something casual. It won't be too far from yourself, but you'll still look cute." I sighed, biting my lip.

"Alright…" In the very back of my closet, I found a cherry red, short-sleeved, silk blouse. I probably hadn't worn it in years, so I hoped it still fit. I located a dark brown skirt made out of a similar material. I didn't own any high heels, but I found a pair of flats to go with the skirt.

"Hey, Anjie? Do I… look okay?" I asked once I had gotten changed. Though I normally pulled the sides of my hair up into a high ponytail-bun-thing, I decided to leave it all down. I borrowed some mascara from Anju, and I had put a little bit of lip gloss on to give my lips a light pink shine (plus it was cotton candy flavored, in case Hikaru wanted to say a special good-bye at the end of the night).

"You look awesome," smiled Anju. She had dimmed down to grape lip gloss instead of her heavy purple lipstick, and was wearing simple black half-inch heels, a purple t-shirt with a black vest over it, a black skirt similar to mine, and silver hoop earrings.

"You too!" I glanced at my digital clock. "Kay, it's 20 minutes to 5. Shall we go?"

Anju grinned. "We shall."

As we rung the Hitachiin's doorbell, I felt my heart beat unsteadily. I smoothed out my skirt for about the hundredth time, for some reason expecting that would make me look and feel better.

"Calm down, Cass. It'll be _fine_," Anju whispered in my ear. For once, I didn't believe her.

When half of the massive double doors swung open, I shrieked and would've fallen on my butt if Anju didn't catch my arm. If the twins' parents were the ones opening the door, I'd have to change my name and move to Jamaica… Fortunate for the Jamaicans, it was Hikaru and Kaoru standing there to welcome us inside.

"Good evening, ladies! Might I say you look exceptionally lovely today," Kaoru crooned. I instinctively glanced down to briefly behold my outfit. Was I wearing something different than what I had been a few minutes ago? Because what I grabbed off the hangers in my closet certainly wasn't "exceptionally lovely."

"Hey, just keep your paws off of _my _girl," Hikaru hissed, lunging his arms outward and pulling me into a tight hug against his chest. Oh, wow, was he wearing new cologne? Mm… Smooth, Cassie. You're only on their front porch and you're already having a fan girl attack.

Kaoru chuckled and planted a gentle kiss on Anju's cheek. Grinning, Hikaru held me out at arm's length and quickly pressed his lips against mine. At this rate, my already-turned-to-jelly legs would collapse before I reached the dining room!

That last exclamation became closer to the truth as the twins ushered us inside, their arms linked with ours. I uncivilly allowed my jaw to drop as I observed the hall we'd stepped into. Crystal chandelier, winding staircase, domed ceiling, eccentric artwork hanging on the wall (which was a piece of art itself)… My family would never be able to afford to stay in a hotel this fancy, let alone live in a house like this. My conversation with Anju about marrying one of the hosts for their money felt so childish now, yet it sprung back into my mind momentarily.

I was snapped into reality when a feminine voice called out, "Hikaru? Kaoru? Is this our company?" I stood up straight and tried to put on a friendly smile, but I'm sure it looked like I was forcing back a scream. This short-haired woman, grinning warmly and holding an open sketchbook in one arm, shouldn't have scared me; yet the fact that she was my rich boyfriend's mother (her resemblance to the twins made it impossible to deny this) and wearing a dress so exquisite that it made my ensemble look like it was picked out of a garbage can sent terror running through my veins.

"Uh huh," Hikaru responded in a bored tone as if he'd been telling people that all day. His mother turned her bright gaze toward us.

"Why hello, girls! I'm Mrs. Hitachiin, but you can call me Yuzuha. Dinner is just about ready, so you can follow me straight to the dining hall," she chimed. Hall? Dining _hall? _Oh dear God, strike me down now. Feeling like I was walking on air, I walked after Mrs. Hitachiin. Hikaru grabbed my hand reassuringly, and chuckled as he felt that my palms were sweating. Well, at least _one _of us was enjoying themselves.

The table in the center of the grand dining hall was big enough to seat a family of 20. I guess that was necessary, with all of their staff… However, I didn't see any maid or gardener or chef sitting down. We all sat ourselves at one end of the massive table, Hikaru pulling out a chair for me. It wasn't until I collapsed into it that I acknowledged how badly I was quivering.

"So, I'm curious. How did you two meet my boys?" Mrs. Hitachiin began, propping her chin on her folded, manicured hands as she sat at the head of the table. "I was only told your names. I haven't got a clue about what those two do at school…." The last sentence was in a bit of an accusing tone, and she glanced at the twins.

"We're not telling you about the Host Club, Mom," both of the orange haired boys insisted in unison. Ignoring that, I cleared my throat quietly in an attempt to collect myself.

"Well, see, my cousin is a new teacher at Ouran, so she had me stop by a few times, and I happened to find the Host Club by accident… I uh, just kept coming back, and soon enough I fell in love with Hikaru! Anju's my best friend, so I introduced her to Kaoru, and it just worked out," I explained. I sure hope my voice wasn't as shaky as the rest of me… Mrs. Hitachiin tilted her head, her designer earrings jingling slightly.

"Wait, you mean to say you don't go to Ouran?" The obvious curiosity on her face gave her a youthful appearance. If not for the makeup, in fact, I probably would have thought she was my age at first glance.

"No, we go to Orion High School," Anju answered simply.

Mrs. Hitachiin's eyes strayed over to her sons. "You never told me you two were dating _commoners…_" Oh, here it goes… But so soon? I thought I'd be in her presence for at least 10 minutes before she forbid me from ever laying eyes on her son again… I legitimately flinched when Mrs. Hitachiin laughed. "Learn something new every day, I s'pose… So tell me about yourselves, Cassandra, Anju! Do you have jobs?"

Well I'll be damned. Anju shook her head, and I wish I could honestly do the same as I murmured, "I work at a fast food restaurant…" I quickly chased her away from that subject by adding, "What do _you _do, Mrs. Hitachiin?"

"_Yuzuha, _dear. And, I'm a fashion designer, thank you for asking! I came up with this," she motioned at her dress, "as well as those," she pointed at Hikaru and Kaoru's clothes. Anju smiled sweetly (so much for being herself).

"Wow, you're amazing, Yuzuha!"

I nodded enthusiastically. "I'll say… That dress is _beautiful! _And of course it looks great on you…"

Mrs. Hitachiin beamed. "I like you two." Score!

We chatted conversationally for the next few minutes, causing me to learn that Yuzuha was like her sons more than just appearance wise. I opened my eyes from a laugh to see that a man was sitting at the opposite end of the table, typing away at a laptop and occasionally glancing our way. I nearly fell out of my chair as I took note of him. "Who's the guy?" I whispered to Hikaru.

"Oh, that's our dear ol' daddy. He's the silent, creepy type." I giggled and waved at Mr. Hitachiin. He may have smiled back.

The meal we were served was absolutely _fantastic- _I'm talking five star cuisine type stuff- but I barely noticed it. The Hitachiins were great people, inside and out, even if Mr. Hitachiin barely opened his mouth. I was actually hesitant to leave. Kaoru drove Anju home, and Hikaru brought me back to my house. He walked me up to the door and kissed me full on the mouth as I stood on my front porch. If his expensive car didn't turn heads in the neighborhood, that certainly did.

"Thanks for everything, Hikaru… I had a great time," I assured him, my nose pressed against his. I stared into his golden eyes; those beautiful, _beautiful _eyes….

"Don't mention it, Cassie." Hikaru kissed my nose, and whispered lovingly into my ear: "Now that my parents like you, I just have to get your dad's blessing." He bolted back to his car, leaving those words echoing in my ear. He was just kidding… Right?


End file.
